The Hindu : Kerala News : Achuthanandan denies Pinarayi's `allegation'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 14, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Achuthanandan denies Pinarayi's `allegation'

By Our Staff Reporter

PALA, JAN. 13. The Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, V.S. Achuthanandan, has denied that the decision to exonerate the IUML leader, P.K. Kunhalikutty, was taken during a high-level meeting which included him, during the tenure of the last LDF Government.

To a question on the reported statement by the CPI(M) State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, to that effect allegedly during the discussions at the Kollam district conference of the party, Mr. Achuthanandan said: ``I have read the newspaper reports. But there is no likelihood of Mr. Vijayan saying so. That has not happened.''

The Opposition Leader was speaking to mediapersons at a press conference today.

He said that during the period when the then party secretary Chadayan Govindan was alive, there was a meeting in which he (Achuthanandan) was involved. That was to settle the bitterness between the then Advocate General M.K. Damodaran and the Director General of Prosecution, Kallada Sukumaran. ``The then Chief Minister (E.K. Nayanar) had called a meeting of the two, in the presence of (party secretary) Chadayan (Govindan). I was also invited.''

They were told to bury the hatchet and that ``both would have to be removed'' if they continued to quarrel. They were also asked to take care of the interests of the Government, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

Tax evasion

Alleging that the Government was working hand in glove with vested interests, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Government had not made any move to stop massive tax evasion.

The case in focus was an imported car on which the customs had imposed heavy import duty. However, the owner had refused to remit it in spite of the court dismissing his appeal, he said.

Online lotteries

He also pointed to the refusal on the part of the Government to realise the Rs. 5,000 crores tax being evaded by the online lotteries.

The Government had refused to take any effective steps to bring the online lotteries to the court and obtain what was due to the exchequer, he said.

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